A Chaotic Bond
by charlie1902
Summary: James was not a team player, never had been but if he had to work with others he supposed Billy's team would do.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** A Chaotic Bond

 **Author:** charlie1902  
 **Fandom:** James Bond/Chaos

 **Genre:** Team  
 **Rating:** K+

 **Warning:** None

 **Spoilers:** None  
 **Summery** : James was not a team player, never had been but if he had to work with others he supposed Billy's team would do.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters you recognise. This is my way of loving them.

Chapter One – James

Walking through the halls where he worked but spent very little time James Bond smirked. He was back in London after one his usual dangerous missions: just him and his gun to save the day. The way the office staff welcomed him home added to the adrenalin boost he got from his heroic actions and added an extra swagger to his saunter. Young woman giggled to their friends as he smiled to them and even jealousy didn't stop the young men from admiring him. He had several painful mementoes from this mission and was due at least a month off to heal. Unfortunately his boss, the unmovable M, had insisted he return to London and hand in his official mission report in person. He had managed to avoid the journey home for a few restful days sunning on a local beach but M had become overly demanding – her last attempt to get him home had involved the local police, a night in a very uncomfortable jail cell followed by an immediate deportation order.

London was beset by cold winds and non-stop rain so James was looking forward to leaving the city once he dealt with whatever M wanted. The fact that his injuries took longer to heal the older he got was rather tiresome but James would take the positives where he could.

"Cracked ribs, a broken arm and what looks like fairly serious facial bruising?"

"Yes Ma'am,"

M sighed disappointedly,

"I do wish you would take more care double o seven. We have to be seen to be using public money carefully and paying you to be off sick for six weeks is not going to go down well."

"I'm sorry stopping a terrorist from killing five British aid workers and setting off various bombs with the potential to kill hundreds of people has led to such a hassle,"

"Don't be acerbic double o seven."

There was a sharp knock on the thick wooden door which was pushed open with barely a pause,

"Sorry to interrupt ma'am the information about the situation at the EU conference has just been confirmed."

"Alright send … Bond I have your next assignment. Jacob: the file on Collins please, and make all the necessary travel arrangements for Mr Bond,"

"Collins … yes ma'am,"

"Thought I was on leave?"

"I need to get information, vital information from William Collins. Nothing too exciting or dangerous while you are recovering."

"Billy?"

"Yes. I believe you went on several missions together,"

"And went through training together."

"You are just the person I need for this – I imagine he'll be happier to see you than anyone else I could send."

"I don't think I'll have any more luck than anyone else from MI6,"

"You are friends. I'm sure you can persuade him to share essential information."

"I was his friend – I was ordered to stop communicating with him years ago."

"I don't believe for one minute that out of all the orders you've been given and ignored this would be the one you obeyed." James looked intently at his boss,

"Why do you want me to find Billy last I heard he was working for the CIA?"

"Don't remind me – I had to pull quite a few strings to stop an execution order when he pulled that one."

"I thought you ordered his deportation."

"It was that or a dark black hole."

"You protected him?"

"As best I could – I know you think I'm a bitch double O seven but I do what I can for everyone here – even those I don't always get along with. And the reason I urgently need you to speak to him is he is the only person to have spoken to an assassin known by the name Riot and remained alive."

"He is a wily rascal – how did he manage that?"

"You can ask him …" the door opened and one of M's assistants passed her a file before leaving quickly. She opened it and was not surprised to see the information she most wanted too on the front page,

"When you meet up with him – he's currently in Germany." She frowned,

"Why am I not surprised you know where he is?"

"Don't be paranoid double O seven I had Q find out where he was when I realised we needed him."

"So you didn't speak to anyone at the CIA – they won't know I'm coming."

"I don't have time to request his location and wait a week while they 'discuss' if they want to help. And nor do you. I want you on a flight to Germany in less than four hours."

She handed him the file which included his flight ticket.

"I don't suppose you'll be able to avoid the rest of his team but please try. We don't need them getting involved and your mission is simply to speak to Collins and retrieve the information from him – don't make promises I can't keep and come home."

"Yes Ma'am."

"The two of you are not to go running off – Do you understand?"

"Yes Ma'am,"

"My predecessor may have given the two of you the freedom to do whatever you liked and damn the consequences but I will not."

"I have no wish to be fired or deported Ma'am."

"I'm glad we are clear on the matter. Dismissed."

James walked back through the MI6 building distracted and with no swagger. He was thinking hard; about shared histories, past regrets and consequences. The folder in his hands felt like an ache in his chest: Billy Collins. The name repeated itself in his head. They had been like two peas in a pod from the moment they met in training. Billy, of course, was just naturally friendly with everyone; eager to please and do well. James had been similar but much more driven to be the best. They would train all day but whereas Billy would want to spend the evening with friends – James would persuade him to train that extra bit more. The two of them had easily been top of every class.

Most MI6 missions were solo but they found ways to communicate, be there to help each other – except for that last time. Billy had needed him but James had just lost his wife and wanted nothing to do with anyone from MI6 – not even his closest friend. He had gone on a murderous crusade to find her killers. And after that he went deep into hiding: still refusing to have anything to do with anyone from his employers. By the time he had been ready to face the world and re-join the service it was too late: Billy had been sent away in disgrace, no one would talk about what had happened and even Billy had told him to leave it alone.

They still found ways to communicate and James had visited on the rare occasion he had a mission in the Americas and Billy was stateside. Once they had been after the same bad guy – James had let Billy and his team run around after the little guys and just killed the main target in all the chaos. He had yet to meet Billy's team and neither man had been eager to change that. They were both aware how awkward that would be. James wasn't sure he could avoid them this time around – not without causing trouble for his friend.

Once James was in his car parked in MI6's underground garage he opened the file. A picture of his grinning friend was clipped to the inside. The first page was just his current location. The next few pages were official MI6 pages on his friend – pretty useless since most of it was redacted. The last few pages were CIA personnel records on Billy's team; firstly the standard data such as height, eye colour etc. The other part read like a cross between a school report – 'does not play well with others' and a profile – 'suspicious with control issues'.

James was hoping he could catch Billy by himself for an hour or two, sure his friend would be willing to help, but if that wasn't possible the information on his team could help him convince or even manipulate them. James was hesitant to read the file feeling like it would be a betrayal of Billy's trust and friendship.

Sighing James threw the unread file onto the passenger seat and sped off home. He had enough time to pick up a ready-packed contingency hand luggage and rush to Gatwick Airport. Once abroad the plane James ensured no one could see over his shoulder and carefully read and reread the file. After committing all the details to memory he put the file away and planned a course of action with various alternative actions should they become necessary.

The flight to Hamburg was only one hour and the mission had been put together at such short notice James did not have any help on standby. M obviously thought Billy would help him which meant she was almost certainly aware James and Billy communicated with each other and was not concerned by it despite such communication being against the rules. James was curious to know if Billy's team leader or anyone in the CIA was aware of it. If they did this mission might go better than James expected.

Hailing a taxi, the first thing James needed to do was find Billy and his team and see how far along in their own mission they were. James knew Billy did a lot of the meet and greet front work and James didn't want to put his friend in danger by showing up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

WC – 1,625


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – Billy

"Alright Billy you know what to do," The Scot was out in the open with no way to acknowledge his team leader without it looking suspicious but they had discussed it at length in his hotel room so Michael was confident the Scot was ready. Crashing into a discussion between a terrorist-funding billionaire (surrounded by five body-guards) and his corrupt financial advisor was one of the more risky options as an opening move but of all the plans Michael had come up with this one had the best chance of success and to the ODS that was the most important thing second only to surviving.

The FBI had been after the millionaire: Nigel Cliftstone for his links to a home-grown terrorist group and while listening to a phone tap had heard him and his financial advisor Edmund Ellis discussing a plot to blackmail a few EU bureaucrats into changing some minor details of a minor legislation that would allow them to hide millions from US tax coffers. The mission was a bit of a nightmare bureaucratically with the bosses at the CIA and FBI being territorial. Officially the ODS team were to stop the blackmail taking place and either have Edmund Ellis arrested or bring him back under arrest themselves – letting Nigel Cliftstone slip through their fingers to be arrested and charged for terrorist-related crimes to be prosecuted by the FBI in the USA. It was not the ending the ODS wanted to aim for but they had reluctantly agreed it was the best way to see Mr Cliftstone put away for the longest time.

The team had been following both men for over three days now and they still had massive and vital gaps in their intelligence. It had been decided one of them would attempt to fill some gaps by meeting with the two men. As the charmer this was Billy's role. They were in a part of Hamburg which had cafes lining both sides of the roads. Michael, Casey and Rick were sitting one across the street from where their targets were sat. Billy passed them but gave no sign he saw them. He was playing the part of a British football agent who had recently signed a top-premier league star for millions and was trying to find ways to hide it from his back-stabbing wife. He was in the area scouting for players to sign when he happened to see a well-known financial advertiser. His ploy was to be an idiot who got lucky and entice the greedy Cliftstone into trying to relive him of his earnings.

The café the targets were in was a pretty little brick house painted white. The door was in the centre with a large bay window either side. In front of each were four two-seater tables. Cliftstone and Ellis were sat facing each other across the table next to one of the windows with a bodyguard on a second table each side. They were furthest away from the door and the other three bodyguards were standing around: one directly behind Cliftstone's chair and then one at each side of empty tables between those seated and the cafe entrance.

Billy crossed the street in a confident strut, peering over his sunglasses at a couple of passing young ladies with a pleased smile. They giggled and waved. This was good; this meant the body-guards would notice his vague approach and not be surprised. As he neared Billy glanced over, as if checking out the place. He kept walking past the entrance but then luckily Nigel slammed his fists down onto the table and Billy took that as his cue to 'notice' Edmund.

"Edmund Ellis! The Edmund Ellis … oh gosh what a lucky break!" He called out and then backtracked to the entrance and bounded up to the surprised financial adviser. Well he tried to he was stopped by a large bodyguard grabbing his arm and twisting it up behind his back and slamming him into the café wall,

"Owww huh?" Billy suffered through the painful ill-treatment recognising they were causing a scene and that would be most unwelcome. Sure enough as one of the ladies at another table shrieked and a guy rapidly slammed his glass down onto his table in readiness to stand Mr Cliftstone stood and hurriedly called out instructions to his protection,

"Put him down Gerald!" Billy was released and he made sure his expression was the right measure of fearful, caution but still with a hint of excited relief.

"I'm so sorry about that. I shouldn't have tried to jump you like that Mr Ellis … I know you are an important man. Five bodyguards … wow! Anyway I really need your help." Billy ignored the millionaire (best way to make an impression on an egoist) and stepped slowly round Gerald to grab Edmund's hand and shake it frantically. The man looked apologetically at his client, who cleared his throat angrily,

"These are MY bodyguards. Who exactly are you?"

"Oh right err," Billy stopped shaky Edmund's hand and blushed,

"Well umm I'll let you finish your business I just … I really need to speak to you Mr Ellis?" Billy forced desperation into his features,

"I have some money I want advice on."

"Who are you?" Nigel repeated,

"Oh my name is Thomas Patterson and I … well I've been needing an advisor for a little while now – can't believe I bumped into the best one here in Hamburg!"

"That is a lucky co-incidence wasn't it. Tell me what a man from … Scotland doing in Hamburg?"

"Good guess Mr …?"

"Cliftstone."

"Mr Cliftstone. I'm here on business scouting."

"Scouting?"

"Yes I'm a football agent … that's soccer to you guys I guess." Billy smiled disarmingly,

"Trying to get ahead of the competition – there are some great players here in Germany and I'm just putting myself about in case any of them transfer over to the premier league."

"Wouldn't they already have German agents?"

"Well some might I suppose but well it can't hurt to get my name out there," looking slightly unsure Billy made his smile falter.

"Not very well thought out is this?" Nigel questioned with a snarky tone,

"Er yea well you see I sort of fell into the job."

"How do you fall into a job like that? I've heard it's like printing your own money?" Edmund asked (mouth near-watering at the sums involved).

"Well I knew this kid on my street and I sort of told a few … stories about my experience and he agreed to let me be his agent and well … he's just signed for a big club in the premier league for a pretty penny and well," Billy leaned closer and whispered,

"I don't really want the missus finding it, if you know what I mean?"

"Spender is she?" Nigel asked with a knowing grin,

"God yes … my bank hasn't recovered from her last shoe shop!"

Nigel whacked Edmund on the back and said,

"Well you are right about Edmund being your man … perhaps we can discuss your options together?"

"Sure I'd love to get the input of a satisfied client too," Billy smiled and a body guard pulled up another chair,

"Why thank you," he said and sat grinning

Edmund looked between the pair nervously,

"Is this really the best time I mean we were talking about something very important!"

"Calm down Eddie we are waiting to hear back from our friend before we can go any further with that so we might as well help this guy out in the mean time,"

"I'll buy you both a beer if you guys can help – your other friend too if he comes along before we are done."

"Ha she wouldn't like that," Nigel said and Edmund's eyes widened slightly,

"Oh a lady _friend_ well I'll stay out of your way then," Billy said with a teasing smirk and knowing wink,

"Ewwww not hardly she's a business contact and ugly as sin,"

"Nigel!" Edmund was openly panicking but the confident millionaire just waved a hand in front of the man and said,

"Oh calm down Edmund, Tommy here doesn't care about our side project,"

"I could be if it's a way to increase my income otherwise no couldn't care less."

Nigel laughed again,

"A man after my own heart. Now let's talk money – yours!"

Back across the café the other three members slowly sipped their drinks. During the conversation they had been careful to be as quiet as possible to make it easy for Billy. Just the odd word to their waitress and once to calm Rick when he got worried as Billy was man-handled. As the discussion turned to Billy's back story Michael muttered,

"Nice one Billy," then he nodded at Rick and said louder,

"I still haven't adjusted to the time difference," he said with a fake tired yawn,

"Me either," Rick said a little too loudly,

"Let's go back to the room for a lie-down," Michael said and they finished their drinks while Casey ordered another one saying,

"Another beer please miss – it's so nice here,"

Michael and Rick stood up and headed back to their hotel room. They were going to re-look at all their surveillance pictures for an unattractive female suspect while Casey remained behind to keep watch over Billy.

After three hours of being constantly on his guard Billy was tiring. He had not had any opportunities to probe for more information and he was desperately curious to know if Michael and Rick had found anything. He had his back to Casey so couldn't even watch him for any reactions. He could feel the other mans eyes on him from time to time, watching and waiting, prepared to spring into action. Billy was confident there wouldn't be trouble. He wasn't asking anything suspicious, he was offering to commit criminal acts and he was pretending to be a bit of an idiot. As long as his background checks held out and he continued to let them dictate how much detail they discussed he predicted this mission would be less 'destructive' than usual ODS missions.

And then he saw Bond.

WC 1,695


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three – Problems

Billy was very observant and picked out his old friend at first glance. He forced himself not to react as the other spy headed straight for the café he was in. Carrying on talking and laughing with his targets he waited for James to come over and ruin his cover but the other man merely sat at an empty table behind him. If anything that made him even tenser and he knew Casey would notice. Even Edmund was sending him the odd inquisitive glare. That was unfortunate and Billy rapidly thought up a way to leave,

"Get us all another drink Gerald!" Nigel said as Billy finished his third jug.

"On no thank you but I should be off; I've taken up enough of your time."

"Nonsense we're enjoying your company," Nigel said. His words friendly but his tone was serious and his face was tense.

"Well alright, if you insist," Billy found he was almost asking,

"Yes, yes I think I do. In fact I think it would be best if you stayed with us until our side project is finished."

"What exactly does that mean?" Billy asked allowing his concern to show,

"While we've been talking Gerald over there has been checking your story. Can't be too careful you know?"

"Umm?"

"Well most of it is confirmed there are just a few issues we need to double check and we are at a bit of a crucial stage in this plan we were discussing. I think it would be best for your health if you remain with us. You have potential and I'd hate to have to ask Gerald to break you into five pieces!"

Billy was slightly worried – this had not been part of the plan. He was confident he could act his part and he didn't really fear his cover story not holding up (Michael double checked everything after the incident in Russia). However he did fear Casey or James would interfere or that his bug would be found.

"No, no I wouldn't want that either …"

"Good, good now have another drink and then we can pick up your stuff from your hotel."

"My stuff …?"

"Yes Mr Patterson your stuff – you'll be staying at my penthouse from now on … unless you have a problem with that?"

Across the street Casey was calmly talking into his phone to Michael,

"We have a situation here."

"What is it?"

"Cliftstone is insisting Billy stays with him. Unless he can get out of it I think he's stuck with them."

"What!"

"You and the kid need to get Billy's stuff together and be ready to get it set up."

"I did not see this coming," Michael said frustrated but already pulling Billy's stuff into his bag.

Billy could not hear Michael but he calmed as he heard Casey putting their contingency plans into action.

"Think this is one of those things not even you can predict." Casey murmured unfurling his fist as he relaxed.

The team did have a second location – a hotel room booked as a safe house in case their first one was compromised. Many of the pen-pushers at the CIA thought this sort of thing was a waste of money but on the rare occasions they were needed they often meant the difference between life or death as well as success or failure so it was an expense that was tolerated.

"Are you on the move yet?" Casey asked as Nigel sent two of his body guards to the location Billy had reluctantly, and slowly, given.

"Just getting the last of it now – jeez how many times have I told Billy not to make such a mess. We're moving now," Michael reported,

"Hurry Cliftstone has just sent his guys."

Across the café James was casually going through the menu and studying Billy's behaviour. He wasn't close enough to hear but he could read 'trouble' in Billy's body movement and facial expressions.

Suddenly the self-important man with his body guards called out to the waitress as she stood by James's table,

"One last jug babe."

The young lady apologised to James, smiled wearily at them and said,

"Of course sir Mr Cliftstone," she replied before disappearing.

Billy relaxed and laughed and a moment later two bodyguards walked away from the table. James watched them disappear down the road.

After she had put the jug down and suffered a slap on her bottom she returned to James' table. Keeping his cool the spy ordered in fluent German. He had of course spotted Casey but was sure the other man had been too intent on Billy to notice him too much.

James got out his smart phone and quickly looked up the two men Billy was talking too. It wasn't hard to find the older man or why Billy was sat at his table: terrorist funding billionaire.

James frowned this was obviously important and given his expressions and how much alcohol he had been drinking Billy did not think it was going well. No more names were mentioned so James snapped a picture of the other man and quickly sent it to Q. He got his reply just as his drink arrived. As ever Q's information was thorough and covered enough for James to work out the basic mission details as well as the sort of plan the ODS probably had.

As his beer glass was filled to the top again Billy smiled but he was feeling more than a little nervous. He knew Casey would have gotten Michael and Rick to get his stuff to the safe hotel room but he was worried they'd get caught, he was worried his ear piece would be seen, he was worried he wouldn't be able to keep acting well enough for hours on end (especially after so much beer) but most of all he was worried what on earth James bloody Bond was doing!

James wasn't one to sit around watching so Billy concluded the man must realised this was a bad time. He'd looked rather too beaten up and yet carefree to be on a mission so Billy assumed he'd run into him on leave but he wasn't one to believe in coincidences. Billy felt his heart quicken but forced himself to push down the hope he felt as he wondered if James had been sent to find him. Ruthlessly pushing his emotions down, Billy forced his attention back to the table grabbing his thick glass and clanging it with Elliott and Nigel's',

"Cheers!" he cried out in sync and downed a quarter in one go as they laughed and Nigel whacked him on the back. Billy laughed and deliberately let the beer flood out his mouth down his front and then spilt more of his glass as he looked desolately at the wasted beer. He was acting drunker than he was but at this point it wasn't much of a stretch.

Meanwhile across Hamburg Rick and Michael were stealthily entering the crummy no-star hotel that was their salvation. Once they were in Michael started unloading the bag. Rick moved to the bed and ruffled the sheets – no room service in this place.

"Billy's cover is supposed to be rich right?" he said looking around,

"Yes but it's all we've got and Billy can handle it."

"No one wealthy would go near here," Rick said doubtfully,

"Billy can sell it,"

"You think so?"

"He's good under pressure,"

"He's going to have to be if he's going to be staying with them until the op is over,"

"Unexpected things happen in the field Martinez, Billy can cope with a few minor challenges."

"This is not minor!"

"It's not the end of the mission either – go put some stuff in the bathroom."

"I'm amazed this place even has an en-suite," Rick muttered as he did as asked. Michael laid out a few mission props – a few sports magazines, generic paper work of a soccer agent as well as a of hidden one-way bug in a wristwatch afraid Billy would ditch the more noticeable two-way ear bud he had now.

"Time to go Rick," he said.

"How are we going to communicate with him?" Rick asked as they were leaving,

"I'll think of something," Michael answered nonchalantly walking down the stairs,

"But …"

"Not now Martinez!" Michael hissed and they casually walked through the entrance as Cliftstones men hurried in.

WC – 1,399


End file.
